General Forum

I am so frustrated sending in cards to PSA.  The wait times are absolutely horrible.  The lastest I sent in (two cards), for the "15 day service" has yet to even be recorded, despite it reaching PSA on 12/19.  I sent an email and got a generic response about delays.  The cards I sent in for the monthly "special" have yet to be finished, and those were sent IN AUGUST!!!  It has been well over 80 business days.  And with all this, I bet I get back cards with crap grades, because their grading is beyond subjective.

SCG and Beckett looking better each and every day.

You’re about to get a bunch of comments about how worthless grading is. Personally, I have never sent a card in for grading, although I own a couple dozen. 

I considered it, though, and always leaned towards SGC. Your post has probably convinced me. 

V3

I own a few, mostly PSA but I do like BGS and SGC a lot more. Every single one I purchased already that way. Too paranoid to mail them anything, nothing to stop them from swapping or keeping the cards.

Even when I go to the East Coast National, the grading line is unreal. PSA and a couple others are there, but I'm there to buy cards not spend half my day waiting in line to wait at home for months to get my cards back. There is obviously too much of a work load for what they do.

Many a card that would have been considered MT 25+ years ago PSA would grade NM or worse today.  It has turned so many cards into useless cardboard.  Yes, it has made some extremely "valuable", but pound for pound it has made so many garbage.  As I see it, it goes back to the 80's, with a few dealers making centering a big deal, and charging more for "better" centered cards.  Kind of like how stamp dealers graded stamps.  You can see what stamp collecting is like now.  Cards are on the same course.  And I am just as guilty, because I use PSA's services, to squeeze as much out of a card as possible.  SMH

I'm glad the grading exists for the key cards. I'm not, however, a fan of subjectivity as part of what should be a scientific process. Personally, I think PSA's days are numbered. Youtube query: "andrew ng ai" 

When I got back into collecting about 10 yrs ago I dabbled in everything to find my interest, including grading. To me it is not important and unneccesary, but then again I don't grade to sell. The only purpose for me personally I could see in it is protection for really old cards such as tobacco cards. That being the case some "garbage company" like GMA would suit that purpose just fine and at a minimal cost. Not claiming a service like this is better, but if the purpose is just to protect a card why pay top dollar when the generic brand is just as good, kinda like grocery shopping in a way lol.

rmpaq5.....very good point. 

BTW...PSA recorded my lastest order in on 12/31....7 business days after receiving it.  So, instead of a "15 day service", it truly is a 22 day service.  And still no word on the cards sent in August.  Perhaps will get them by Easter.

Maybe I am the odd one out here, but I like having my key rookie cards PSA graded and also my older ones (pre WWII ones). This way there is some "official" label to the condition of my rookies, and authenticity for my old cards, and I know they have not been trimmed or otherwise messed with. I am sure PSA grading is not a perfect science, but it is better than my unprofessional judgement, and DEFINITELY better than the judgment of some people I have traded with in the past